Love ‘em or loathe ‘em, the selfie is here to stay.  Although they sometimes get taken too far, we are the first to admit that there are times when selfies are exactly what the situation calls for.  The internet is full of selfies gone seriously wrong – either because of the ubiquitous “duck pout” or because of inattention to what is going on around the selfie-taker, but most of them are simply “meh.”  Thankfully, you don’t have to be a professional photographer like John Kleinheinz Fort Worth to apply some easy techniques to turn your less-than-flattering selfies into pictures worthy of the memories that they are capturing. Here are a few tips.

Find the right angle

Most of have experienced the dreaded chin photo at least once.  However there is a simple fix – make sure that you are holding the camera slightly above your head.  Keep your chin slightly down and it will disappear like magic.  Pay attention to other angles of your face as well – a subtle tilt of your face can make your cheekbones and eyes pop.

Use your timer

One of the most challenging things about taking a selfie is trying to push the button to take the picture at the same as you keep a grip on your phone.  A selfie-stick is one way to solve this problem but if you don’t happen to have one handy, you can use the timer on your phone – this will give you the chance to set up the shot and will eliminate the shakes at the moment you snap the picture.

Look at the lens, not the screen

If you look closely at many selfies you will notice that people are clearly looking at the same thing, but not quite at the same part of that thing!  It can be challenging because you want to be sure that you are perfectly posed for the pic, but try to focus on the lens instead of the screen.  Not only is it odd to see peoples’ eye differently focused, but looking at the screen tends to make you look a bit cross-eyed as well.

Fix major problems in post

The great thing about digital photography is that it is a snap to reframe the picture to eliminate unwanted elements – your flattened arm, the annoying photo-bomber over your shoulder.  Strategic cropping can go a long way to redeem an otherwise great picture.

Do justice to your besties

While it is easy to focus on how you look in the frame, make sure that you show some consideration to your besties as well.  After all, if you want to capture a moment with your friends, you need to be sure that everyone feels ok with the final image.  Make sure that everyone is in the frame but be aware that as people gather closely together to fit they may be forced into unflattering poses.

These are just some of the ways that you can be sure to be the selfie queen!